by Hannah Danette Robertson

Created on: August 29, 2009   Last Updated: September 16, 2009

Has your cat every gotten stuck in a tree? You may have your own way of getting your cat down, but does it always work? Is your way the best way? Do you ever stop to think how your cat is feeling when he is stuck up in the tree? He or she might be asking themselves: "Am I ever going to get down from here? Will I be all right? Am I safe if I do try to go down?" Here is some advice that you can follow to get a cat out of a tree.

What to Do

The first thing you need to do is find out exactly where your cat is. After that try to talk to it and get it to calm down so it will come down all by itself. Sometimes if you use a treat that your cat likes, such as some cat cookies or even some milk, that should help.

Now if your cat still does not want to come down, what is the first thing that pops into your head? Usually it would be to climb up and get it. Before you do that check the ground around the tree, and move anything that could cause you to get hurt. That way if you fall, you won't get stuck by any stickers or hit your head on a rock. Another thing that would be helpful is to have another person there just in case you really do fall.

If you are able to reach the cat, hold it in a way that it can't get away from you. Then place the cat inside of something, such as a cat carrier, a box or a strong bag, and try to lower it down with a rope to the person that is down below helping you. Make sure you do not bump the carrier on any branches. That could make your cat go hysterical! Carefully climb down the tree and check your cat for any damage it could have done to itself. As soon as you finish doing that pick up your cat and give it a big hug!

What Not to Do

1. If you do not have an accommodating fire department, do not call them. Most of the time they do not want to waste their time on your cat.

2. You might call the newspaper but if your cat story is not an unusual one, they won't come to the rescue either. So the best thing is not to even call them.

3. Some people try to spray there cat with water. The force of the water will knock the cat out of the tree and the cat could be injured, so if you do not want to make a trip to the vet, don't try it.

Last Resort

Please do not try to climb up the tree without taking proper safety precautions! Now if nothing you have done up to this point has worked here are some last resort tips:

1. Pick up your telephone and call your local humane society or animal shelter. Either of these places may have some extra advice, or they may know a professional climber who will know how to get your cat out of a tree. Now if this does not work try step two.

2. Call your fire department and tell them that your cat is stuck in a tree and ask if they could please come and get him down for you. They will be able to get him down because they have ladders they can use if the cat is not higher than 24 to 35ft. Be careful because it may be against your County or Town's local ordinance.

No matter what you decide to do, try to make a smart enough choice so that your cat will survive its tree hugging experience. Make sure when it is out of the tree that it ends up in the house and not in the vet's office, because if you've noticed, most cats do not like going to the vet. This could be more of a trauma than the tree incident. So the best thing to do is love your cat and show it how glad you are to have it back in your arms!

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